A green card is an internationally recognised insurance document which provides proof of the minimum compulsory motor insurance coverage required by the country a person is visiting. This green card demonstrates to relevant authorities that a vehicle being driven in their jurisdiction has valid motor insurance. At present, there is no requirement to have a green card when driving in Northern Ireland because vehicles that travel within the EU are covered under the terms of the EU motor insurance directive.

I come from Dundalk, a Border area, and as a result of the Good Friday Agreement, many people from Dundalk have been travelling to and fro for work and education to name but a few matters. Some insurance companies are giving the green cards but most insurance companies are not giving them. In fairness, the Tánaiste maintained that if there is a no deal exit, everybody will get a green card. All the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross is saying is that he expects the insurance companies to give green cards. Nobody wants a no-deal Brexit but the only certainty we have is that the Government can put pressure on insurance companies to issue green cards to every person in Ireland who could be crossing the Border.

The insurance industry has a responsibility to its customers and that is why the industry as a whole has given a clear signal that green cards will be available to people who ask for them. Some companies have sent them out to people just in case. My understanding is that about 1 million of these green cards have been printed. I would like to see a situation where we can agree an approach with the European Commission in terms of contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit that would not require the use of green cards on the island of Ireland, but that is not agreed yet so we have to proceed with caution in the contingency planning that may be necessary.